Concord Police Department: Concord Police Department Begins Body-Worn And Cruiser Camera Program

Press release from the Concord Police Department:

July 9, 2021

Chief Joseph O’Connor announces that the Concord Police Department has recently completed the implementation of in-car and body-worn camera program that will enhance transparency and accountability for the department.

Concord Police have fitted each marked and unmarked vehicle, including Chief O’Connor’s cruiser, with an in-car camera. The Department also issued WatchGuard body cameras by Motorola to each sworn officer. In addition, the Department is managing videos with the company’s modern, cloud-based video/evidence management system. The Department spent $197,000 to purchase the equipment.

Concord Police is one of only about a dozen police agencies in Massachusetts that have deployed cruiser cameras, while even fewer have deployed body-worn cameras.

“The implementation of our integrated body-worn/in-car camera system will assist us in ensuring the public’s trust in our Department.” Chief O’Connor said. “I am appreciative of our Officers who have once again demonstrated their professionalism and commitment to the community by supporting this important initiative.”

President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing placed a priority on body camera research and camera programs. The Task Force’s final report indicated that officers wearing body cameras had “87.5 percent fewer incidents of use of force and 59 percent fewer complaints than the officers not wearing the cameras.”

The Concord Police Department’s camera policy states:

The Concord Police Association (Massachusetts Coalition of Police Local 260) and the Town of Concord in July 2020 signed an agreement to allow use of body and in-car cameras. Implementation was delayed in part by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This press release was produced by the Concord Police Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.